Polymers based upon Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene (ABS) formulations have found widespread use in contemporary society due to a number of useful properties. Specifically, and depending upon the particular formulation, ABS exhibits good impact strength--even at low temperatures, is stiff and dimensionally stable, can be made with an aesthetic finish and is relatively easy to machine. When UV-stabilizers are added to ABS formulations, the resulting ABS may be well suited for outdoor applications.
Numerous products incorporating ABS require graphical elements, i.e., alphanumeric graphics on dial keypad buttons. Methods that are currently employed to impart such graphical elements to ABS structures include, 2-shot injection molding, dye-sublimation and laser marking. Each of these methods is characterized by numerous advantages and disadvantages and the effectiveness of each is dependent upon particular ABS formulation used.
It is evident from this background then that alternative ABS formulations and approaches to graphically marking products constructed from same are required.